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Everywhere you turn, the news of Xbox 360's Halo 3 release is out there. The game is garnering such attention because the franchise has been so successful and this is the latest and greatest. Halo 3's release is one of the biggest video game events to date. Part of the reason for this is the coverage the game is receiving. You don't have to be a gamer to run across Halo 3 everywhere you turn. Many news programs are constantly running stories about this new game.

The original Halo game came out with the launch of the original Xbox, and it has been a popular gaming franchise ever since. Expert gamers claim that it is the best first person shooter franchise in gaming history. These fans call themselves "Halo Nation" which is to Halo what "Trekkies" is to Star Trek. Halo Nation members camped out for the release of the game, hoping to be the first to get their hands on Halo 3.

There was so much attention surrounding this release that stores like EB Games held release day parties at midnight so that customers would not have to wait to receive the game until normal opening hours. With such devoted fans, Microsoft pulled in a cool 170 million dollars on the very first day!

Predictions have Microsoft making about 560 million dollars from Halo 3! This is not bad considering they spent only 55 million dollars to design the game. They may even collect some money from those buying the Xbox 360 console just to play the game. The timing is perfect with the holiday season right around the corner. Many children and teens will have this on their wish-list for sure!

Still not sure what Halo is? The franchise is based on a setting in the future where people must battle against aliens. The weapons are all futuristic and very cool! You play as Master Chief Petty Officer Spartan-117. Master Chief has all the tools he needs to battle the aliens. The game is very "pretty" and well done as Microsoft had top employees developing the game for over 3 years. You can expect the world to be massive and full of interactivity. This definitely isn't a game they threw together just to keep the franchise going. They seem very committed to producing a top of the line game for Halo fans.

Microsoft needed this boost, as the Nintendo Wii is still the top selling console. We'll have to see what happens with the battle of the consoles this holiday season.

Ellie is a successful work at home mom to a beautiful baby. She has played video games since she was a young girl, and has since developed the website Video Game Bargains

AP - President-elect Barack Obama and two of his top aides met last week with federal investigators building a corruption case against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, accused of trying to swap Obama's Senate seat for cash or a lucrative job.

Piano students who are talented and dedicated spend a lot of time studying the piano, but in the process they may be losing an important quality of art, the ability to be spontaneous. Here's some things that piano students have a tendancy to do that limits their creative energy.

1. Play through every song without stopping to investigate areas that interest them or areas they are unsure of. Students need to examine the music they are learning and be asking questions as they are playing. Observation is important to find the details that need attention. Playing through the music over and over again from beginning to end, and going on to the next song in the same way limits possibilities for improvement. A learning process involves asking questions along the way and paying attention to areas that need to be thoughtfully reviewed.

2.Practice without a specific goal that adds creative purpose to their playing. Without specific goals and strategies for achieving those goals practice is meaningless. Progress isn't measured by the clock, but by the product. Students need to know what they are trying to produce to be effective in their practice.

3. Practice their pieces in the same order every time without variation. At the beginning of practice our attention is highest. First attention needs to be given to challenges in the music. Then stop for a few minutes and start again fresh. Look for areas of the music that need work and focus attention on these.

4. Don't connect to the music give it personal creative meaning. The ultimate goal is to bring the music to life. Students need to bring their own magic to the music by connecting to each note so that it resonates as part of a coherent, human story. Music always tells a story. By imaging that each note is part of an important story they are telling to their best friend, students give their music personality and interest that is needed to bring the music to life.

5. Gloss over the notes without becoming intimate with each part of the music. It takes patience to look deeper into areas of the music to become completely familiar with every melody. The ear needs to hear it clearly and be certain of what is there. Ignoring areas of uncertainty and avoiding thoughtful, creative strategies to bring them into clarity is a matter of discipline. It's natural for students to put off looking at these areas and focus instead on the areas they can already play well. Uncertainty is uncomfortable and it feels safer to play the parts of the music that are familiar. It is human to avoid what we feel anxious about, and it takes courage to face each challenge in the music creatively.

Even young children can learn effective practice habits that honor creative work and not just time at "work." Finish lines and artificial boundaries that don't really exist shouldn't rule. Creative playing strategies and tools that have integrity, meaning and purpose are what students need for mastering the art of practicing and piano artistry.

To learn the best way to share the gift of music with children visit Amazon.com for my Piano Bears Musical Stories for Children The exciting Piano Bears Musical Stories for children ages 5 to 11 feature the loveable characters, Mrs. Treble Beary and her new piano student, Albeart Littlebud. Children love following along with Albeart to Mrs. Treble Beary's piano studio in Musical Acres Forest. Here they learn what piano lessons are all about in a fun way that kids readily understand and appreciate! Piano students laugh and giggle while reading "Little Bear's Musical Garden" and "Little Bear's Piano Goals."

For a wealth of f'ree information and piano music online visit Piano Bears Music Education Resources Don't Wait to Share the Gift of Music!

AP - A military-led group seized control of the airwaves in Guinea and declared a coup Tuesday after the death of the mineral-rich West African country's longtime dictator, but the prime minister insisted he remained in charge.